Chapter 11

How to Conduct a Problem-Solving Meeting

 

A problem-solving meeting is probably the most difficult to conduct. It requires the leader to integrate several types of meetings into one. Included in a problem-solving meeting are information giving, information getting, and possibly brainstorming. It requires the leader to play several roles: presenter, listener, catalyst, arbitrator, facilitator, and participant. And it usually includes many of the situations that can make a meeting difficult to control. In short, the leader has a big challenge to make the meeting productive.

Preparation

The preparation for a problem-solving meeting includes some planning that is unique to this type of meeting. For example, in conducting an information-giving or instructional meeting, much of the planning involves the gathering of information and preparing to present it. In a problem-solving meeting, much of the preparation time is spent deciding on questions to ask. The question becomes the chief tool of the problem-solving leader. Also, the proper sequence of questions must be carefully planned.

Steps in a Problem-Solving Meeting

STEP 1. CLEAR STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM

Someone once said, “A problem well defined is a problem half solved.” Perhaps it is a slight exaggeration, but it has truth in it. A productive, problem-solving conference must start with a clear statement of the problem.

 

 

Here are some examples of practical problems that are clearly and succinctly stated:

Absenteeism

How can we reduce absenteeism by 25 percent by December 31?

Turnover

How can we reduce turnover among hourly employees to 3 percent by March 31?

Quality

How can we reduce the scrap rate from 5 percent to 4 percent by July 31?

Paperwork

How can we reduce the amount of paperwork that is required of our production people?

Sales

How can we get 10 percent of the market by the end of this fiscal period?

Finance

How can we double our return-on-investment during the next fiscal year?

Training

How, in minimum time, can we do an effective job of training new employees so they will be safe, productive, and happy?

Meetings

How can we reduce the amount of time that is wasted in our production meetings?

Morale

How can we improve the attitudes of our engineers?

Motivation

How can we get our clerical employees to be enthusiastic toward their jobs?

Communications

How can we improve our downward communications to first-line production supervisors?

All of these problems begin with “How can we….” These statements immediately tell the participants that they are going to help solve the problem. The statements also clearly indicate the kind of problem they must help solve.

The first step in problem solving requires the leader to select the problem and clearly define it.

STEP 2. REASONS WHY THE PROBLEM MUST BE SOLVED

This section of the meeting must convince the participants that the meeting is necessary. It should also persuade them that this is the place they should be. It should build enthusiasm for the meeting because solving the problem will be of benefit to them and the organization.

It should also present facts and other information to sell the group on the need for solving the problem.

STEP 3. CAUSES OF THE PROBLEM

In preparing for this phase of the problem-solving conference, the leader should plan to get causes (facts and opinions) from the group. In addition, the leader should gather information so that he or she can also present any causes not identified by the group. The specific question “What are the causes of the problem?” is the key question that should be present for this phase of the meeting.

STEP 4. POSSIBLE SOLUTIONS

Again, the preparation of the leader centers on the particular question to ask. In addition, the leader should think of possible solutions in case they aren't suggested by participants.

This phase is probably the most interesting and enjoyable phase of a problemsolving meeting. Here is where the brainstorming technique should be used. The leader should introduce this part of the meeting with such words as:

“We have just analyzed the causes of the problem as we see them. Now we are going to consider possible solutions. We aren't going to do it the way we usually do when we face a problem. What we usually do is have someone suggest a solution and the rest of us evaluate it and agree or disagree. If we don't agree on that one, someone else suggests a solution and we follow the same process of evaluation. As we know, all of us are human. And if anyone shoots down our idea, our feelings become hurt and we tend to pout, react negatively to the idea of the one who criticized our solution, and show other similar behavior. When we use this process, hard feelings frequently develop and many possible solutions are never suggested, both because of a shortage of time and because we hold them back for a fear they'll be shot down.

“Today, we are going to use brainstorming and concentrate all of our knowledge, creativity, and energy to list all of the possible solutions we can think of. Our next step will be to evaluate each idea, compare it with others, and agree on the best one or more that will solve the problem. We won't even remember who suggested what idea.

“Now, here are the rules for brainstorming: (Put them on a flipchart.)

•  Quantity, not quality, counts. Let's get down a lot of possible solutions. This way we'll be sure that we don't miss any. And a certain percentage of them are bound to be good.

•  Freewheeling is encouraged. Don't worry whether the idea is practical or ridiculous. Don't worry how much time it will take or how much it will cost. Don't even think about whether we've tried it before. And don't consider whether it fits into our company philosophy or policy. All of these considerations will be applied in the next phase of our meeting.

•  Piggybacking or hitchhiking is encouraged. Listen to the ideas of others; they may trigger an idea in your mind.

•  No evaluation or judgment is allowed. When someone presents a solution, don't try to evaluate it. Just concentrate on solutions you can suggest.

“Our slogan is ‘Think up or Shut up.’”

In preparing for this phase, the leader should prepare a question such as “What are all the possible solutions?” The leader must be on the alert for judgment and evaluation because this is the way most people have been taught to think and act.

STEP 5. THE BEST SOLUTION

As promised in Step 4, this is the time to compare and evaluate. Some criteria will be necessary to use when comparing the possible solutions that have been developed. For example, each possible solution may be judged according to the following:

  Will it solve the problem? Some of the solutions may not fit.

  Is it within the budget? Some solutions may be too costly.

  How long will it take? Try to establish a timeframe so certain solutions will be eliminated because they will take too long.

  Is it within company policy? This may not be an absolute criterion because the policy might be bent or changed if the solution is good enough.

  Can it be implemented effectively? If the people who have to implement the solution won't accept it, it might be necessary to modify or eliminate it.

The agreed-on criteria should be applied to sort the possible solutions into the following categories:

  looks good (+)

  possible (?)

  eliminate (−).

This can be done quite readily. The next step is to analyze the possible ones more carefully. With further discussion and possible modification, they should be sorted into one of the other two categories and should be followed by a + or −.

The next step (and the most difficult one) is to agree on the best solution. Frequently, the best solution is a combination of several possible solutions. It also may have several parts to it and even a Plan A (let's try this first) and Plan B (let's try this if Plan A doesn't work).

STEP 6. IMPLEMENTATION OF THE SOLUTION

It is very important to include this final phase in a problem-solving meeting. Many good solutions have failed because little thought and no plans were devoted to the implementation of the solution. The leader can ask the group, “How should we implement the decision?” The question can trigger another problem-solving meeting. Brainstorming may again be in order to be followed by judicial thinking and agreement on the best way to implement the decision.

When the implementation approach is agreed on, the leader might give out assignments to one or more members of the group. The important factor is that implementation is discussed and agreed on in the meeting so that the solution will be effective.

Participation

To have a productive problem-solving meeting where the participants are learning and retaining information, participation is essential. Here are some guidelines.

Getting Participation

Obviously, a problem-solving meeting will not be effective unless the participants take part. Here are some ways to ensure active participation:

  Select the right people. Criteria should include those who can contribute to solving the problem as well as those who are important to implementing the solution. The number of participants should probably be in the six to eight range.

  Select the right time. Be sure the participants can conveniently attend and devote their complete attention to the problem.

  Have proper physical facilities. Make it conducive to participation (for example, gather around a table). Have everything ready.

  Be sure your questions are clear. Put them on the whiteboard or flipchart.

  Make the participants feel important. Ask for their ideas; listen to their comments; be receptive to their ideas, even if they're different from your own; give them credit for their contributions.

  Maintain a climate that fosters participation. Don't embarrass or ridicule any of the participants. And, as the leader, don't dominate.

Controlling Participation

In a problem-solving meeting, it is usually easy for the leader to get participation. The difficult part may be in controlling the participation. As described in chapter 9, the most effective way to control a meeting is to keep it from getting out of control. The best way to do this is to carefully prepare each phase of the meeting, including the exact questions that will be asked. Even if this is done, the meeting may get out of control at times. For example, two or more of the people may get into a heated argument over what the best solution is or how it should be implemented.

The most common problem is that participants get so involved that they get ahead of the leader. They frequently suggest solutions when the leader is discussing causes. And this often happens even if the leader has cautioned against it. This isn't a serious control problem, however, because it is easy for the leader to bring it back on the track without embarrassing the person. The leader can simply say (perhaps with a little humor):

“Joe, you've just given us a possible solution because you are so anxious to get this problem solved. Right now we are still on causes of the problem. Please hold that comment until we get to the next phase of our meeting.”

This control problem might have been prevented and certainly very easily solved if the leader had put all the steps of the meeting on the chalkboard or flipchart at the beginning of the meeting and left them there during the entire meeting. This would be a constant reminder so that participants would know exactly where they are and where they are going.

A problem-solving meeting should use the six-step approach:

1.  clear statement of the problem

2.  why the problem must be solved

3.  causes of the problem

4.  possible solutions

5.  the best solution

6.  implementation of the solution.

 

Managers can reach quality decisions and get high acceptance by using these steps.